Marauders Bats Fall Silent Against Mussels

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders offense fell flat on Friday night, going hitless with runners in scoring position and leaving the bases loaded twice in a 2-1 loss to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at LECOM Park.

The Marauders (1-3) and Mighty Mussels (3-1) dueled for three scoreless innings, including a third inning in which Bradenton loaded the bases against left-hander Brent Headrick but failed to score.

Fort Myers struck first in the fourth inning on an RBI-single from Yunior Severino. After a walk, Alex Aquino replaced starter Domingo Gonzalez on the mound. Aquino balked runners to second and third, and Jeferson Morales followed with a grounder to third that Alexander Mojica bobbled, allowing Severino to score for a 2-0 Mussels lead.

Maikol Escotto narrowly missed scoring the Marauders’ first run in the seventh inning. The Bradenton shortstop lined a ball to left-center field past the dive of center fielder Willie Joe Garry Jr., and after rounding third, Escotto was thrown out at home on a relay throw, thwarting his attempt at an inside-the-park home run.

In the ninth, the Marauders loaded the bases against Fort Myers right-hander Ryan Shreve on two walks and a single. Claudio Finol drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Bradenton’s first run of the evening, but Shreve recovered to strike out Maikol Escotto and Jasiah Dixon to end the game.

Right-hander Miguel Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win in relief for the Mighty Mussels, holding the Marauders scoreless in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. J.C. Flowers provided another strong, scoreless relief outing for the Marauders, holding Fort Myers to one hit over the final three innings to keep the game within reach.

The series against the Mighty Mussels continues Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Fort Myers will send RHP Steven Cruz to the mound against a yet-to-be-announced Marauders starter.